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Brazil establishes 10 new Indigenous territories during COP30
Brazil announced the creation of 10 new Indigenous territories on Monday, a move aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage and environmental protection under national law-though enforcement has historically lagged. The decree, set to be formalized by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, arrives as COP30 in Belém faces escalating protests over land rights and climate policies.
Expansion of protected lands
The newly designated areas, spanning hundreds of thousands of hectares, include regions inhabited by the Mura, Tupinambá de Olivença, Pataxó, Guarani-Kaiowá, Munduruku, Pankará, and Guarani-Mbya peoples. One territory overlaps 78% with the Amazon National Park, a critical biodiversity hub for global carbon storage and climate regulation.
According to a study by the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, and the Indigenous Climate Change Committee, expanding Indigenous territories could curb up to 20% of additional deforestation and slash carbon emissions by 26% by 2030.
"Each Indigenous territory is a victory-not just for us, but for humanity. Our way of life protects these lands and fights global warming," said Dinamam Tuxu of APIB in an interview with the BBC.
Violence and resistance
The announcement follows a deadly attack on Sunday in southern Brazil, where Vicente Fernandes Vilhalva, a 36-year-old Guarani Kaiowá leader, was fatally shot during a raid by armed assailants, as reported by Survival International. Indigenous activists frequently face violence when defending land from illegal logging, mining, or agricultural encroachment.
Protests have surged at COP30, where thousands marched on Saturday demanding land demarcation, chanting "demarcation now." Last week, demonstrators-including Indigenous representatives-breached summit security, clashing with guards while holding signs reading "our forests are not for sale." Security has since tightened, with armed personnel deployed at entrances.
"We've worked for two years to bring 900 Indigenous delegates inside COP30 to negotiate for their communities," said Kleber Karipuna of APIB. "But many still lack accreditation."
Criticism of militarized response
Over 200 human rights groups condemned the heightened security in a Monday letter to UN officials, warning it "silences dissent" and marginalizes land defenders. Under Lula's predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, protections for Indigenous lands were routinely ignored, with illegal mining and deforestation surging.
Broader climate stakes
Brazil's 117.4 million hectares of Indigenous territories-roughly the size of Colombia-now cover 13.8% of the country. Lula's government has previously expelled illegal miners from these areas, reversing Bolsonaro-era policies that encouraged exploitation. Yet the Amazon remains vulnerable: efforts to overturn a key deforestation ban threaten to reverse progress.
At COP30, nations are negotiating strategies to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Scientists warn that exceeding 2°C would trigger catastrophic heatwaves, rising sea levels, and food insecurity-risks Indigenous land stewardship directly mitigates.
"Indigenous peoples protect 82% of global biodiversity. Demarcation isn't just about land-it's about survival," Tuxu emphasized.
